Hooked Up Designs Magazine September/October 2017 | Page 48

Capt. Mike Gallo of Angling Adventures of Louisi- ana unhooks a redfish he caught on a soft plastic frog while fishing in the Bayou Biloxi Marshes south of Lake Borgne near Hopedale, La. hide unless there’s grass growing in it,” Gallo said. “Redfish are going to be close to the bait. In late summer, some areas get so choked with grass it’s impossible to fish. Remember those places. The places with the thickest grass in late summer or fall will be the first places grass grows again in the early spring. Frogs are made for fishing thick grass and that’s where the bait hides.” When redfish hunker down in thick weeds, few lures can reach them. However, rigged weedless with a 3/0 to 5/0 wide-gap hook barely inserted into the body, a plastic frog can go through the thickest vegetation like a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Frequently, redfish explode up through the grass to attack these baits. “The beauty of a frog is that it can get into areas that other lures cannot reach,” advised Shane Dubose, a professional redfish an- gler from Tomball, Texas. “Redfish like to hide in thick grass and ambush baitfish. I can throw a frog over the top of any cover that I want to fish and not worry about it hanging up. In Texas, I have used frogs to catch redfish in the marshes around Sabine Lake and in the East Bay of the Trinity-Galveston Bay area.” Many companies make frog lures for bass fishing. Some frogs float and others slowly sink. Some floating frogs come with up- turned hooks that allow the baits to skitter across matted grass tops. Some sinking frogs incorporate special slots in the body where anglers can conceal hooks. Anything that might tempt a largemouth would also tempt a redfish. “Fishing a frog for redfish is almost the same as fishing a frog for bass,” detailed Steve Niemoeller with CFL Fishing Charter Service, (800-507-0058, www.cflfishing.com) of Deland, Fla. who guides in both fresh and salty water. “When fish aren’t feed- ing very aggressively, they may want a slower bait more than a buzzing one. I like to let a floating frog sit for a long time. If I’m fishing frogs slowly, I add some scent on them so the bait tastes real to fish.” Anglers can fish either frog type in several ways. In very shal- low water or extremely thick weeds, many anglers simply buzz THINKING ABOUT A NEW BOAT ? MAKE THE SMART MOVE … INVESTING in a new boat is a big decision. So it pays to make a smart move. And that means giving the new Cobias a very close look. No other name in the boat industry gives you more innovation, technology, excep- tional construction and craftsmanship as the new Cobia line. These new models are the fastest growing fi shing boats in the business. And for good reason. See for yourself, log on to www.cobiaboats.com and contact the dealer nearest you today. It’s your smartest move. A Maverick Boat Company brand. 48 HOOKED UP SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 hookedupdesigns.com